Page 8
Story: An Improbable Scheme (Courting the Unconventional #1)
A footman approached, carefully setting a plate of food before Elsbeth. As she ate, she truly hoped that Lord Westcott wouldn’t make a nuisance of himself by joining their outing. Surely as an earl, he had far more important matters to tend to.
Niles sat stiffly in the haberdashery, suppressing the urge to groan aloud.
Of all the ways he could spend his time, watching Eugenie select ribbons was not at the top of his list. She stood at the counter, holding up an assortment of ribbons, each seemingly identical to his untrained eye.
He had never quite understood women’s fascination with such fripperies.
His gaze drifted towards Lady Elsbeth, who was admiring herself in a straw hat adorned with a poppy.
His thoughts unexpectedly wandered to their conversation the night before, a rare moment when they had both let their guards down.
Vulnerability wasn’t something Niles was accustomed to showing.
It was far easier—and safer—to keep people at a distance.
Yet something about Lady Elsbeth’s candidness had unsettled him.
Eugenie approached him and lowered her voice. “Must you glare at Lady Elsbeth like that, Brother?”
“I wasn’t glaring,” he muttered, shifting his focus to his sister. “And why do you insist on being her friend?”
“Perhaps it is my nefarious attempt to make you go mad,” Eugenie replied with a mischievous smile .
He glanced at the stack of ribbons in her hands. “Did you buy out the entire shop?”
“Why not?” she asked. “You are rich.”
“Being rich doesn’t mean I should squander money on frivolities.”
Eugenie held up the ribbons. “These are not frivolous. They make excellent bookmarks.”
“Scraps of paper work just as well.”
“But these are far prettier,” she countered, a playful note in her voice.
Niles rose from his seat. “At least your logic is sound.”
Eugenie smirked. “Be careful, or I might buy a hat. Or two.”
“Please don’t,” Niles said. “I have had just about enough of this shop.”
“Then why did you come along?”
Niles cast a fleeting glance at Lady Elsbeth, who was trying on another hat. “Because Aunt Margaret wasn’t feeling well, and I did not want you to be left alone with her.”
“There is nothing wrong with Lady Elsbeth,” Eugenie said pointedly. “But I am beginning to suspect there is something wrong with you .”
“I can’t fathom why our aunt is so friendly with Lady Elsbeth,” Niles stated.
Eugenie shook her head. “Lady Elsbeth is a delight, and I find it amusing how much she vexes you.”
“It is not amusing.”
“It is… just a little,” Eugenie said with a grin.
“Can we just please go home now?”
Before Eugenie could reply, Lady Elsbeth joined them. “Oh, Eugenie, those ribbons are quite lovely,” she praised.
“Thank you,” Eugenie replied. “Did you decide on a hat?”
Lady Elsbeth bobbed her head. “Yes, the straw hat with the poppy on it. They are boxing it up and will deliver it to the manor. ”
“A fine choice,” Eugenie said approvingly.
Turning to address Niles, Lady Elsbeth asked, “And did anything catch your eye, my lord?”
“No,” he said.
His curt response didn’t deter Lady Elsbeth. Her lips twitched with barely concealed mirth. “What a shame. I spotted a hat with an ostrich feather that would suit you perfectly.”
Eugenie giggled. “Could you imagine my brother wearing such a hat?”
But Niles was not amused. “Can we go now?”
“Yes, I am ready to leave,” Lady Elsbeth replied.
“Thank you for stating the obvious,” Niles muttered.
Lady Elsbeth gave him an amused look. “You are welcome,” she said. “I am walking to the door now.”
Niles sighed and looked heavenward as Lady Elsbeth exaggerated every step, narrating her actions. Could that woman be any more vexing?
As she opened the door, Lady Elsbeth informed him, “I am now stepping outside onto the pavement.”
Eugenie leaned closer to her brother. “You did thank her for stating the obvious.”
Niles offered his arm. “The sooner this outing is over, the better.”
“That is the spirit, Brother,” Eugenie said, slipping her hand through his arm.
Outside, Lady Elsbeth was speaking with her maid when she glanced over at him. “I am now talking to my maid,” she announced, her eyes twinkling with humor.
Before Niles could retort, a sudden noise drew his attention. He looked up to see a large barrel tumbling down the cobblestone street, picking up speed. It was headed straight for Lady Elsbeth.
Without hesitation, Niles lunged forward and grabbed Lady Elsbeth, pulling her out of harm’s way just as the barrel hurtled past. He held her tightly, his heart pounding as he felt her trembling against him.
Eugenie’s voice broke the tension. “You can let go of Lady Elsbeth now, Brother.”
Niles knew that his sister was right, but a part of him was forced to acknowledge how Lady Elsbeth fit perfectly in his arms. Reluctantly, he released her and stepped back. “Are you all right?” he asked, the gentleness in his voice surprising even himself.
Lady Elsbeth wrapped her arms around herself. “Yes. Thanks to you.”
“It was nothing,” he said, brushing off her gratitude.
In a soft voice, she replied, “You saved my life.”
“As I said, it was nothing,” Niles stated.
A large, bald man in a brown apron rushed towards them, his face pale. “Is everyone all right?” he asked in between breaths.
“We are,” Niles responded tersely.
The man wrung his hands. “I don’t know what happened. I thought I had secured that barrel. I am so sorry.”
“Well, you clearly didn’t,” Niles said, his voice sharp. “Be more careful in the future.”
The man nodded hastily and scurried away.
Niles did the one thing he thought he would never do. He offered his arm to Lady Elsbeth. “May I escort you to the coach?”
Lady Elsbeth hesitated before placing her hand on his arm.
Her uncharacteristic silence unnerved him.
Offering his other arm to Eugenie, he led them both to the waiting coach, helping them inside before taking his seat next to his sister.
As the coach rolled away, Niles couldn’t shake the protective surge he had felt for Lady Elsbeth .
Fortunately, his thoughts were interrupted by his sister’s concerned voice. “Elsbeth, are you all right?”
Lady Elsbeth winced, her voice trembling as she replied, “I don’t know. I’m sorry?—”
Eugenie spoke over her. “You have nothing to apologize for. You can feel however you need to feel in this moment. No explanations are required.”
Lady Elsbeth’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she managed a faint smile. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Turning towards her brother, Eugenie said, “Niles, I don’t think I have ever seen you move that fast before… unless food was involved.”
Niles recognized his sister’s tactic immediately. Eugenie was trying to distract Lady Elsbeth and lighten the mood. He decided to play along. He chuckled softly. “I can be remarkably swift when the situation warrants it.”
“Well, I am impressed,” Eugenie said.
“I didn’t think it was so easy to impress you,” Niles quipped.
Lady Elsbeth met his gaze. “I am truly grateful for you saving my life, my lord.”
The sincerity in her eyes held Niles transfixed. “It was my pleasure, my lady. But please, you really must stop thanking me. It was nothing.”
“I don’t think I have ever been so frightened before…” Lady Elsbeth said, her words trailing off.
Eugenie leaned forward and reached for Lady Elsbeth’s hand. “What you experienced would frighten anyone. You are not alone in feeling that way.”
Lady Elsbeth gave a small, appreciative nod.
“Why don’t we talk about something else?” Eugenie suggested, her voice bright. “We could discuss the weather.”
Lady Elsbeth made a face. “Please, no.”
Eugenie laughed as she leaned back. “All right. No discussion on the weather,” she said. “How about I regale you with a story about Niles? I have plenty.”
Niles groaned in mock protest. “Why does the story have to be about me?”
“Because your stories are far more entertaining.”
“More so than when you mistook a badger for a cat?” Niles asked with mirth in his voice.
Eugenie waved a hand dismissively. “It was an honest mistake.”
“And yet, I have never heard of another person making that mistake,” Niles said.
“But I learned from my mistakes, and I have never tried to bring home a badger again,” Eugenie responded.
“You say that as if it is an accomplishment,” Niles teased.
Eugenie shrugged. “In my defense, I was only eight. I did ask you to come with me, but you said you were too busy.”
“Because I had just returned from Eton,” Niles said. “I had no desire to traipse through the woods with my little sister.”
“And that,” Eugenie said, holding up a finger triumphantly, “was your mistake. You underestimated how much I wanted a pet.”
Niles chuckled. “Father did give in and get you a cat after that debacle.”
“Exactly the outcome I wanted,” Eugenie declared.
“Surely there was an easier way to convince Father to get you a cat?” Niles asked, his tone dry.
Ignoring his question, Eugenie turned to Lady Elsbeth. “Did you ever want a pet?”
“No, my mother is allergic to cats and dogs,” Lady Elsbeth responded.
“To both?” Eugenie asked.
Lady Elsbeth nodded. “Yes, her eyes water and she sneezes incessantly. My grandmother had a cat, and every visit was miserable for her. ”
“That is awful,” Eugenie said. “Well, I suggest you avoid getting a black animal with a white stripe down the length of it.”
For the first time since the incident, Lady Elsbeth smiled. “I do think I will heed your advice.”
Niles watched as the tension eased from Lady Elsbeth’s shoulders. Eugenie’s plan had worked. He felt a strange sense of gratitude towards his sister for her ability to comfort and distract, a skill he clearly lacked.
Eugenie spoke up again. “You simply must visit our country estate someday. My cat, Shadow, is a delightful companion. Niles just adores him.”
Niles let out a disbelieving huff. “Adore? Hardly. I hate that cat.”
“That is a shame because Shadow absolutely adores you,” Eugenie said with a playful smile.
Niles turned to Lady Elsbeth to explain. “Shadow doesn’t adore me. He lies in wait like a predator. He watches for the moment I let my guard down and then leaps out to attack me in the corridor.”
“Shadow is merely playing with you,” Eugenie said.
“One day, that cat will be the death of me.”
Eugenie laughed. “You are being utterly ridiculous. He is just a cat.”
Lady Elsbeth interjected. “I think I would very much like to meet this cat.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Niles replied. “You must trust me on this.”
As he spoke, the coach slowed before coming to an abrupt halt in front of Lady Elsbeth’s manor. Niles shifted instinctively, preparing to assist her out of the coach. Lady Elsbeth reached for the door, but he held up a hand. “Allow me, my lady.”
He stepped out first, extending his hand to her. The moment her gloved fingers brushed against his, he felt a surprising spark of awareness. It was an unnerving but not entirely unpleasant sensation. Once her feet were firmly on the ground, she withdrew her hand and took a step back.
“Thank you, my lord. For everything,” she said.
He tilted his head, offering her a half-smile. “Can we move past this newfound civility and return to barely tolerating one another?”
Lady Elsbeth’s lips curved into a smile. It was so radiant and unguarded that it briefly stunned him. “I think that is a wise course of action.”
“Then it is settled,” Niles said. “We will return to the way things were before our trip to the village.”
Lady Elsbeth nodded. “Good day, my lord.”
He stood there, rooted in place, watching her with an inexplicable sense of reluctance. Returning to the way things had been before seemed almost impossible now, not after the day’s events. Not after holding her in his arms.
Just as she reached the door, she paused and turned, a gesture so unexpected that it caught him off guard. She lifted a hand in a small wave, and he, without hesitation, raised his own to return it.
And in that quiet, unremarkable moment, Niles realized something unsettling but undeniable: he no longer despised Lady Elsbeth.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8 (Reading here)
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43